Knitting. Quilting. Sewing. Motherhood. Cleaning. Just kidding about the cleaning.

Friday, April 08, 2005

Project Panic

So, if you tuned in yesterday to find a half-baked, I mean, half-done post, I apologize. I am having a trying time with Blogger, and fiddled with it all afternoon before it ate my post. Yum.

Here's the thing. My mom was here for several days. My mom rocks, she cleans, she watches the kids so I can do adult things like drink a whole cup of coffee while reading e-mail uninterrupted, and she even tinkers with knitting.

While she was here I felt tiny responsibility pangs toward poor, neglected Mom's Christmas poncho, so I dutifully resurrected it. So, this week my project menu consists of the Sitcom Chic, and the poncho. Two projects. Just two. A little Project Panic, anyone? Project Panic, in case it is not obvious, occurs when I have less than three projects OTN. (That's "on the needles" for you less familiar with the knitting-lingo) (Kenny).

As if: I get a last minute call to fly away on a jet plane, or more realistically, I need to drive off to the ER, and need to grab my knitting bag at a moment's notice with a project ready for hours of mindless knitting to see me through. The thing is, in this case it really is irrational, because both the Sitcom Chic and the neverending poncho ARE hours of mindless knitting, and I really don't need a third.

I guess I have misdiagnosed myself then, its not Project Panic, its Project Boredom. What I really need is a jazzy project to lift my spirits.

Behold, I bring you thus:

Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. No guilt, because it is also for my mom. But its not as exciting as I had hoped. The problem is, its not, well, very chevron-y. Technically, I knew it would do this, for two reasons. First, I am using a very low-contrast colorway of KPPPM, and second, the pattern calls for using 2 different color combos and I am just using the one. It may be put on hiatus until my mom can see it next week and approve it, at which time it might be frogged and turn into something more lacey.

The pattern was fun, though, so I will definitely return to it sometime. What did I do to deserve the half hour of Pure Knitting Enjoyment in the middle of the day, you ask?

I let my son play with pins.

Pin sculpture created by five year old son. I know, I know, you are reaching for that pen to nominate me for Mother of the Year! I have discovered what holds the magic fascination for a five year old: it's pins! What Cheerios do for a nine month old, keys for a two year old, post-its for a three year old, tape measure for a four year old, its pins for a five year old. Keep them at rapt attention, quiet, for half an hour.

Its a win win situation. He gains eye hand co-ordination, I get a beautiful pin sculpture, that I can cherish forever. Either that, or another half an hour of work for me to return my pincushion to usability.

4 Comments:

Emily, I know exactly what you mean by knitting panic. I have it whenever I have a gig away. I must bring something to stave off boredom in class, but it must not be too complicated, and be well started before I leave. It must also be exciting enough that I actually will knit on it, instead of a frogging project which I have also brought along. It also may not be sox, as I currently have three pairs that I have not even worn, stuffed into my already overflowing hand knit sox drawer. (that is to distinguish from my black sox drawer and other white sox drawer and my felted by accident sox drawer).I am always more worried about what I will bring to knit than I am about what I am going to teach. Don't tell the quilters.

On The Needles! So thats what that means. I've been reading all these knit blogs for months now and couldn't figure out what that meant. Over Time Needlework? On The Nose? Old Tired Nonsense? Thanks for solving the mystery for me. Now could you show me how to purl again? I forgot. On second thought, never mind. I'll just go over to my LYS and have someone show me.

Emily, I have been wondering how you manage to get so much done with three small kids. Now I know - the pins! I'd just have a hard time getting my 5 year old to keep them away from the 2 year old ... I am a fellow quilter with 3 small children who just started knitting 3 months ago. I am inspired by how many projects you manage to finish.